Governing board members for the Kyrene School District approved a recommendation this week that will ask voters to continue its current 15 percent maintenance and operations override this election.

I received a postcard in the mail several weeks ago announcing a public hearing on May 21 to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Study on the proposed South Mountain Freeway. None of my neighbors received the same postcard when I talked to them. Why were some of the public left out of the mailing? They may not have been informed of this public hearing, but I have comments to make.

Voters who have seen how medical marijuana works in Arizona may get a chance to extend the ability to use the drug to all other adults.

State lawmakers were moving toward finally adjourning their 151-day session late Thursday -- but not before setting the stage for constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

Not waiting for formal gubernatorial approval, foes of her Medicaid expansion already are moving to undo at the ballot box and in court what they could not block at the Legislature.

Tired of waiting for action, Gov. Jan Brewer forced lawmakers back to the Capitol late Tuesday to approve her budget and Medicaid expansion.

I have not voted in some time now, having figured out that it simply does no good. And yes, I sincerely believe the “system” itself is the problem.

In a unanimous decision this week, the Tempe Union High School District will be asking voters to continue its current level of funding from a maintenance and operations override previously approved by voters.

It’s only been a week since the 1-cent sales tax went off the books, but area economists and businesses do not expect to see much if any increase in retail sales in the foreseeable future due in part to consumers having little idea the increase ended.

Freeway-improvement projects in the Phoenix area will require closures this weekend (June 7-10), according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes while the following freeway restrictions are in place this weekend:

Some GOP lawmakers are threatening to torpedo the budget being pushed by their own leaders if $400 million in planned spending is not cut across the board.

Active members of Protecting Arizona’s Resources and Children (PARC) in our Village of Ahwatukee and outlying residential areas aim to stop the South Mountain Freeway from being built on Pecos Road. Preventing the destruction of our community and South Mountain is the main goal of PARC, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.

The state's high court is going to give Arizona lawmakers another chance to argue that they don't have to obey a voter mandate to annually increase basic state aid to schools.

After reading that the Senate has passed a bill to have online retailers charge sales tax exactly the same as brick and mortar businesses, I am hopeful that Congress will see the impact this will have on their communities. Small businesses have suffered and many have closed because people can save tax dollars by purchasing online. In fact, many people use local retail businesses as testing grounds for whatever they want to buy online. While we all love the idea of getting a deal, it shouldn’t be done on the backs of our local retail businesses. If the same tax is charged online as in person sales, both types of retail would be better served. I hope our Congressmen will realize that when the issue comes to a vote.


Conceding he lacks the votes, House Speaker Andy Tobin gave up Tuesday in his bid to block the Medicaid expansion plan by Gov. Jan Brewer with his own alternative.

Americans are more confident in the U.S. economy than at any point in the past five years, thanks to surging home values, a brighter job market and record-setting stock prices.
Stock averages last month extended the year’s explosive rally.
Further gains in consumer confidence could help the economy withstand the effects of higher taxes and federal spending cuts that kicked in this year. Spending by consumers drives about 70 percent of economic growth.


In case you forgot, Gov. Jan Brewer has other priorities this year besides getting the Legislature to approve Medicaid expansion.

Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday that Arizona no longer needs its 1-cent sales tax surcharge even though state spending, while below 2009 levels, still exceeds ongoing revenues.

Don Kennedy’s guest commentary in the May 15 AFN (“Why the resistance to background checks and why the need for semi-automatics?”) attempts to perpetuate various false assertions of the gun lobby. Let’s call him on a few:

Two former Republican state senators are maneuvering to give voters the last word on whether Arizona expands its Medicaid program.

Individuals for and against the Loop 202 freeway expansion trickled in and out of the Phoenix Convention Center Tuesday and offered passionate pleas to panel members as the Arizona Department of Transportation hosted a day-long public hearing on the South Mountain Freeway.

Forget fears of sequestration. And never mind the hike in payroll taxes that shrunk paychecks.

Refusing to blink, Gov. Jan Brewer late Thursday vetoed five bills sent to her this week by Senate President Andy Biggs despite her threat she would do just that.

After years in the doldrums, the housing market appears back on track. Home sales and prices are up, and mortgage rates remain near historic lows, reinvigorating the appeal of homeownership.